America’s Got Talent 2013 Recap: Semifinals Round 2! 9/3/13

It's time to see the second half of the semifinalists in our recap of the America's Got Talent 2013 Semifinals Round 2 performance episode. Which of the 12 remaining semifinalists will impress us the most? Let's dive in and find out!

We kick things off with kid dancers D’Angelo and Amanda, who do a rather grown-up performance to a Michael Jackson tune. Sadly, Howard is not impressed, although Howie likes them. Then, country singer Marty Brown is up, singing a candle-filled rendition of "Bless the Broken Road" to favorable reviews.

Chicago Boyz wow the crowd and the judges alike with their stunning acrobats and human jump-roping to "Blurred Lines." Howard says the show is lucky to have them, and Howie says they're "amazing" and "one of the most exciting things we've ever seen." So the next time you see someone jump-roping with just rope, tell them to step up their game.

Credit:
NBC/Screenshot

Howard's wild-card pick, Leon & Romy, perform a silent magic routine with people hopping into boxes and appearing in places where we don't expect them to appear. Howard says some of their tricks felt familiar, but that it was "remarkable" that they did seven different illusions. Heidi and Mel both loved it, but Howie went a step further by giving Howard a standing ovation — and even a big ol' kiss! — for his pick. Pucker up!

The second singer of the night is 11-year-old Anna Christine, who more than makes up for her imprecision last time with a stellar performance of "Wild Horses." Everyone is bowled over, including Heidi, who calls her a "superstar" and says she seems to have the best voice of the competition. But does she have the moves like Jagger?!

Then, it's Kenichi's turn, and this just might be his most mind-blowing performance yet. He does a take on the Marx Brothers' mirror routine, where he dances with a projection of himself before switching places with the projection. It's hard to describe, but just take our word for it: It's amazing. Howie is as effusive as ever, saying Kenichi "should win a million dollars," and Howard calls it "fantastic." Yep, the bar has been raised!

Comedian John Wing's comedy routine gives us a window into his marriage. Howard calls him a "pro," while Mel and Howie both love it. Even Heidi — who is infamously tough on comics — is a fan, saying that all married people can connect with him. Uh-oh — are we learning more than we wanted to know about her time with Seal? Thank goodness no one has sang "Kiss From a Rose" yet.

Branden James is lookin' sharp in his bright blue suit, singing "Alone." The judges are a bit lukewarm on the performance, given the other top-notch competitors we've seen tonight. Mel likes the new twist on the song, but Howard isn't feeling the song's passion.

Credit:
NBC/Screenshot

The KriStef Brothers are back, albeit with one neck brace. The boys impress with their strength and comedic talents — gotta love those retractable swords! — and the judges love them, especially with their quick recovery from last week's injury. Heidi wants them to win it, while Howie says he loves them. In other words, the judges are really sticking their necks out for these guys. (Get it — "necks"?)

Next is the American Military Spouses Choir singing "In the Arms of Angel." We found the performance to be pleasant but not noteworthy, and the judges seemed to agree. Mel pointed out that the other singers are especially strong this year, which will make it tough for this choir to move on.

Acrobat Timber Brown added a pool of water to his high-flying act. We think Timber has performed better previously, although our hearts were still pounding at times during the diving routine. Howie and Howard both called him out for faltering a bit with the ropes, and Heidi says it wasn't his best, but Mel loves it.

And last up is Jimmy Rose tackling the Garth Brooks classic, "If Tomorrow Never Comes." Mel says he impressed her, but Howie thinks the competition is too fierce, and Howard calls it just "nice." We've never heard "nice" used as such an insult. That said, we love Jimmy's humble attitude.

Overall, this episode was stellar, and we think this group of semifinalists is even stronger than last week's. Our favorite of the week is probably Kenichi, although Chicago Boyz are right there, too. We also love Anna Christine and KriStef Brothers. Ack — too many to choose from, and only six will advance! They're all neck-and-neck. (Okay, we apologize for so many "neck" puns.)